Battle of Metz

The Battle of Metz (27 September-13 December 1944) was a major battle of the Liberation of France, occurring as the US Third Army under General George S. Patton liberated the Lorraine region of eastern France. Four and a half German divisions of the German 1st Army under Otto von Knobelsdorff were positioned at Metz to defend the Siegfried Line fortress located there, and both sides suffered heavy losses as the Americans launched repeated assaults on the German fortress. The Germans succeeded in delaying the Americans for three months and allowing for some other German forces to retreat to the Saarland and consolidate their positions, but the loss of Metz was considered to be a loss of a German city, as many German generals and admirals hailed from the culturally-German city.